December 9, 2023, Tallahassee, Florida: The women's 60+ team of the Shore Athletic Club celebrate a win for the ages. It was tight! They edged second-place Impala by a mere 1 point. Left to right: Susan Stirrat, Debi Brathwaite, Nora Cary, Deborah Capko and Suzanne La Burt.
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December 9, 2023, Tallahassee, Florida: The Shore AC 60+ men's A team followed suit, pounding out a stupendous victory amid intense competition. Left to right: Don Schwartz, Rick Lee, Henry Notaro, Michael Salamone and Mark Zamek.
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Shore AC Results for the 2023 USATF Club Cross Country National Championships in Tallahassee, FL
Race date: December 9, 2023 Full Results from PT Timing
Race web site here.
SHORE AC TEAM RESULTS:
50+ Women:
8 SHORE AC "A" 50+ WOMEN 72 TOTAL 1:28:03 AVERAGE: 29:21
19.Alysia Puma Flemington, NJ 51 F 621 28:09.9*
26.Maureen Massell Red Bank, NJ 55 F 620 29:27.7*
27.Kitty Musante New Smyrna Beach, FL 67 F 624 30:26.0*
60+ Women:
1 SHORE AC "A" 50+ WOMEN 18 TOTAL 1:21:12 AVERAGE: 27:04
1. Suzanne La Burt Greenwood Lake, NY 60 F 619 25:19.8*
3.Nora Cary Morristown, NJ 68 F 618 26:29.6*
14.Deborah Capko Avon By The Sea, NJ 60 F 617 29:23.0*
23.Debi Brathwaite Garfield, NJ 64 F 623 32:04.2
25.Susan Stirrat Rockaway, NJ 68 F 625 32:31.6
60+ Men:
1 SHORE AC "A" 60+ MEN 16 TOTAL 1:32:06 AVERAGE: 30:42
1.Mark Zamek Minneapolis, MN 60 M 907 29:52.6*
5.Rick Lee Bayville, NJ 62 M 901 30:42.8*
10.Henry Notaro Northville, NJ 62 M 902 31:30.4*
16.Michael Salamone Ringwood, NJ 64 M 905 32:47.5
55.Donald Schwartz Belmar, NJ 63 M 906 42:07.2
12 SHORE AC "B" 60+ MEN 126 TOTAL 1:52:13 AVERAGE: 37:24
40.Reno Stirrat Rockaway, NJ 69 M 912 37:09.3*
41.Jim Musante New Smyrna Beach, FL 66 M 911 37:14.0*
48.Harold Leddy Bridgewater, NJ 68 M 910 37:49.6*
50.Miles Hersey Hazlet, NJ 61 M 909 38:13.0
SHORE AC INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:
Men's 40+ 10 kilometer race:
159.Eric Puma Flemington, NJ 51 M 903 46:26.9
Race web site here.
SHORE AC TEAM RESULTS:
50+ Women:
8 SHORE AC "A" 50+ WOMEN 72 TOTAL 1:28:03 AVERAGE: 29:21
19.Alysia Puma Flemington, NJ 51 F 621 28:09.9*
26.Maureen Massell Red Bank, NJ 55 F 620 29:27.7*
27.Kitty Musante New Smyrna Beach, FL 67 F 624 30:26.0*
60+ Women:
1 SHORE AC "A" 50+ WOMEN 18 TOTAL 1:21:12 AVERAGE: 27:04
1. Suzanne La Burt Greenwood Lake, NY 60 F 619 25:19.8*
3.Nora Cary Morristown, NJ 68 F 618 26:29.6*
14.Deborah Capko Avon By The Sea, NJ 60 F 617 29:23.0*
23.Debi Brathwaite Garfield, NJ 64 F 623 32:04.2
25.Susan Stirrat Rockaway, NJ 68 F 625 32:31.6
60+ Men:
1 SHORE AC "A" 60+ MEN 16 TOTAL 1:32:06 AVERAGE: 30:42
1.Mark Zamek Minneapolis, MN 60 M 907 29:52.6*
5.Rick Lee Bayville, NJ 62 M 901 30:42.8*
10.Henry Notaro Northville, NJ 62 M 902 31:30.4*
16.Michael Salamone Ringwood, NJ 64 M 905 32:47.5
55.Donald Schwartz Belmar, NJ 63 M 906 42:07.2
12 SHORE AC "B" 60+ MEN 126 TOTAL 1:52:13 AVERAGE: 37:24
40.Reno Stirrat Rockaway, NJ 69 M 912 37:09.3*
41.Jim Musante New Smyrna Beach, FL 66 M 911 37:14.0*
48.Harold Leddy Bridgewater, NJ 68 M 910 37:49.6*
50.Miles Hersey Hazlet, NJ 61 M 909 38:13.0
SHORE AC INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:
Men's 40+ 10 kilometer race:
159.Eric Puma Flemington, NJ 51 M 903 46:26.9
December 9, 2023, Tallahassee, Florida: The Shore AC women's 50+ team exudes confidence at the starting line for their national 6K race. Left to right: Kitty Musante, Maureen Massell and Alysia Puma.
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December 9, 2023, Tallahassee, Florida: Members of the Shore AC men's 60+ B team eagerly await their chance to demonstrate the club's depth in the 60+ age group. Left to right: Hal Leddy, Miles Hersey, Reno Stirrat and Jim Musante.
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Shore AC Guts Deliver Glory at USATF Club XC Nationals
[Eye of the Tiger lyrics by Survivor.]
The Eye of the Tiger: it's practically an anthem in the running world. The energizing lyrics and pulsating guitar riffs inspire us to dig deep and give it our all. Well, there must have been a tiger -- or maybe an endangered Florida panther -- hiding in the underbrush at Apalachee Regional Park and projecting predator mentality to our athletes in the USATF National Club Cross Country Championships. For as the song goes, we had the guts and we got the glory!
...It's the thrill of the fight / Rising up to the challenge of our rival.
In this biggest post-collegiate American cross country race, it was the masters (age 40+) women who emerged first from the early morning shadows to rumble. Spikes gleaming, 6-pack midriffs bared and lean leg muscles rippling, they lunged across the starting line at the sound of the gun and battled relentlessly through the 2-loop course.
Shore AC entered two teams into this melee: a 5-person 60+ team and a 3-person 50+ crew. We knew that our 60+ team stood a decent shot at winning. However, having 40+ teams mixed into the same race made it difficult to judge how our gals were faring while the race was in progress. When results were finally posted after the race, we discovered not only that our Shore AC W60+ team had won -- HOORAY!!!!! -- but how narrowly we had prevailed. A single point -- a mere whisker -- separated us from rival Impala Racing Team. Furthermore, 2023 Grand Prix champion Liberty Athletic Club had also placed within striking distance, falling short with a slim 4 point gap.
Human cheetah Suzanne La Burt laid the foundation for our W60+ team victory. She dug deep with her cleats and grinded out a tremendous 25-second triumph over 60+ rival Mary Cass in 25:19, placing first among all women of age 60 or over. Her effort earned Suzanne third place in age grading among all women in the race. World-class harrier Nora Cary scored next for the SAC gals. Her stupendous time of 26:29 at age 68 ranked her second in age grading, behind only the incomparable Jeannie Rice. Renowned surgeon Deborah Capko slammed the door on team scoring when she crossed in 29:23 to score 14 points. Her "slam" consisted of outrunning 60+ foes Bonnie Lindblom (Genesee Valley) and Victoria Bok (Liberty) by 10 seconds over the final kilometer. How key was that? Our composite team score of 18 barely edged out Impala and their 19 points. We needed every point, and Deb delivered. With that same winning spirit, Debi Brathwaite (32:04) and Susan Stirrat (32:31) came through with solid backup performances. As Katy Perry's "Eye of a Tiger" song goes, hear those ladies roar!!!
...It's the thrill of the fight / Rising up to the challenge of our rival.
In this biggest post-collegiate American cross country race, it was the masters (age 40+) women who emerged first from the early morning shadows to rumble. Spikes gleaming, 6-pack midriffs bared and lean leg muscles rippling, they lunged across the starting line at the sound of the gun and battled relentlessly through the 2-loop course.
Shore AC entered two teams into this melee: a 5-person 60+ team and a 3-person 50+ crew. We knew that our 60+ team stood a decent shot at winning. However, having 40+ teams mixed into the same race made it difficult to judge how our gals were faring while the race was in progress. When results were finally posted after the race, we discovered not only that our Shore AC W60+ team had won -- HOORAY!!!!! -- but how narrowly we had prevailed. A single point -- a mere whisker -- separated us from rival Impala Racing Team. Furthermore, 2023 Grand Prix champion Liberty Athletic Club had also placed within striking distance, falling short with a slim 4 point gap.
Human cheetah Suzanne La Burt laid the foundation for our W60+ team victory. She dug deep with her cleats and grinded out a tremendous 25-second triumph over 60+ rival Mary Cass in 25:19, placing first among all women of age 60 or over. Her effort earned Suzanne third place in age grading among all women in the race. World-class harrier Nora Cary scored next for the SAC gals. Her stupendous time of 26:29 at age 68 ranked her second in age grading, behind only the incomparable Jeannie Rice. Renowned surgeon Deborah Capko slammed the door on team scoring when she crossed in 29:23 to score 14 points. Her "slam" consisted of outrunning 60+ foes Bonnie Lindblom (Genesee Valley) and Victoria Bok (Liberty) by 10 seconds over the final kilometer. How key was that? Our composite team score of 18 barely edged out Impala and their 19 points. We needed every point, and Deb delivered. With that same winning spirit, Debi Brathwaite (32:04) and Susan Stirrat (32:31) came through with solid backup performances. As Katy Perry's "Eye of a Tiger" song goes, hear those ladies roar!!!
With a powerful stride, Suzanne La Burt (bib #619) passes Michelle Rohl (585) of Greater Philadelphia TC and Patricia Bellan (601) of HOKA Aggies RC on the back side of the first loop, having already countered Audrey Kroot (537) of Cal Coast TC.
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In a classic sneak attack, Nora Cary (bib #618) begins her mid-race surge to leave Judy Stobbe (553) of Central Park TC, Kathleen Hayden (507) and Patricia Coppel (505), both of Atlanta TC, behind.
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Deborah Capko (bib #617) sets her sights on Michelle Neal (564) of Club Northwest as they transit the woods.
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Debi Brathwaite (bib #623) ups the ante on Nancy Legierski (534) of Bunny Gang RC and Robin Tanner (2nd from left) of Atlanta TC in loop #1.
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Susan Stirrat (bib #625) sets a strong pace in preparation for tackling "The Wall" at the end of loop #1.
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Meanwhile, our Shore AC women's 50+ trio dove into the fray with a gleam of determination in their eyes. Undaunted by predictions that they would place close to last as a team, they attacked like pumas. Indeed, it was the eponymous Alysia Puma who struck first for our 50+ team. Her outstanding 28:09 performance contributed 19 points to the cause. A minute later, rookie Maureen Massell overcame a head cold and its attendant stuffiness to post a valiant 29:27. Not long thereafter, 65-year-old Kitty Musante staked another milestone in her recovery from injury with an excellent 30:26. The 26 and 27 points credited to Maureen and Kitty, respectively, yielded a team score of 72. Although this put the team in 8th place, it meant a remarkable victory over 2023 Grand Prix champion Genesee Valley, as well as over the local "Bunny Gang" squad. Brava, ladies!!!
Alysia Puma (2nd from left) leads a large crowd of runners towards "the wall" on the back side of the course.
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Maureen Massell (4th from left) powers over the crushed seashell road in the thick of the action.
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Kitty Musante (2nd from left) shadows Jennifer Saam of Club Northwest during the first loop of the 2-loop race.
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Risin' up, straight to the top / Had the guts, got the glory...
After the women masters' race had finished, spectator attention swung back to the starting line. There, where the mid-morning sun cranked up the heat, top-notch 60+ men from throughout the country lined themselves up in regimented boxes to await their signal. And with a bang!, off they charged!
As the horizontal line of bodies merged into a vertical stream from fastest to slowest, race fans thrilled at the sight of Shore AC superstars Mark Zamek and Rick Lee in the lead with projected winner Nat Larson at 1,170 meters. Could Mark and Rick hang with Nat through all three loops of the 8-kilometer men's 60+ course? In short, no. Nat proved that he is the king of the American 60+ long distance running. But Mark made it abundantly clear that he could inherit the crown if Nat should someday falter. Mark finished second, 19 seconds behind Nat, in a ramjet-fast 29:52. Meanwhile, Rick gradually receded with each loop, perhaps owing to an overused hamstring muscle. Across the final lap, he dropped from third place back to sixth. Nevertheless, with unmatched guts, Rick kept hammering away to achieve a tremendous clocking of 30:42. Once Rick finished as second team scorer, Shore AC partisans thrilled at the team's low-low score of 6. (Note that Nat Larson was not on a team and therefore did not factor into team scoring.) But, could Shore AC get its third man into the corral before closest rivals Genesee Valley, TC Running and Atlanta completed their scoring?
You bet we could! And, we did! After all, our third man was Mr. Guts himself: Henry Notaro. Eager to give everything he had for the team, Henry began the race at breakneck speed and crossed the first timing mat in fifth place. But the pace proved too fast for him. By the 5-kilometer checkpoint, Henry had faded to thirteenth. Anxious fans worried that our coveted team victory was slipping away. But then Henry rallied! With a tremendous surge, he gained back two spots over the final 3 kilometers, finishing 11th in a scintillating time of 31:30. Henry's 10 points resulted in a final team score of 16. So it was that the Shore AC men's 60+ A team garnered glory at the 2023 USATF National Club Cross Country Championships! We stood on top, having firmly eclipsed second-place Genesee Valley's 29 points. Way to go, gents!!!
The competition has even more to worry about. Consider our #4 man, Michael Salamone. Energized by his new fruit-laden diet, Mike dashed through the course to finish 16th in team scoring with a stunning time of 32:47. Talk about a first-class insurance policy! Had either Rick or Henry dropped out of the race, Mike's contribution would still have delivered a team victory. That's depth for you!
But not everything turned out rosy for our M60+ A team. Second backstop Don Schwartz had a tough day at the office. After a solid start, Don began to suffer from a nagging hip issue. Nothing helped. Nevertheless, Don persevered and finished the race. We salute his will power!
December 9, 2023, Tallahassee, Florida: Nat Larson, Mark Zamek and Rick Lee take the early lead in the men's 60+ race. Photograph by ?
Mark Zamek flies down the final stretch in second place overall and in first among team members.
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Rick Lee torches the final 200 meters of the race on his way to a magnificent 6th place finish.
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Henry Notaro squeezes out every last ounce of vigor from his leg muscles as he dashes towards the finish line.
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Michael Salamone charges towards a phenomenal sub-33-minute performance as he descends the final stretch.
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Ken Atterholt (#732) of Cal Coast.Don Schwartz (bib #906) rounds the bend in the backside road next to Miles Hersey (#909), Tim Hagerty of Greater Lowell RR, Rick Pfeiffer (#869) of Jamul Toads and Ken Atterholt (#732) of Cal Coast TC.
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Face to face, out on the heat / Hangin' tough, stayin' hungry...
Dedication and team spirit: those attributes characterize the Shore AC 60+ men. Our B team provided a perfect case study at Tallahassee. The guys knew that they would likely finish close to last against such a powerful field of teams. Nevertheless, they fought like tigers to perform their best. Newcomer Miles Hersey, filled with excitement over his first national race, set a brisk pace to lead the B team quartet. Alas, increasing warmth and breathing difficulty weighed on him as the race progressed. Meanwhile, Shore AC Hall of Famer Reno Stirrat and second-year sensation Jim Musante tag-teamed their way through the 3 loops of the course, while veteran Hal Leddy gradually gained ground after a conservative start. All four teammates were within shouting distance of each other as they crested "The Wall" for the third and final time and made the turn onto the home stretch. Reno's instincts took over at this point, as he laid down rubber and rocketed to a 37:09 finish. Jim rode Reno's wake, crossing 5 seconds later in 37:14. Hal soon kicked across the timing mat in 37:49, while Miles reached paydirt in 38:13. Although they placed 12th among 60+ teams, our fearsome foursome did place FIRST among all (two) B teams. Well done, boys!!!
Reno Stirrat (bib #912) and Jim Musante (#911) dig deep for every erg of energy on the final stretch as Chris Rinaldi applauds their efforts.
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Hal Leddy (at left) guns his engines with the finish line in his sights as Tom McCarthy (#877) of Northern Virginia RC gives chase.
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Miles Hersey stays focused on the goal as he strides down the final hill towards the finish line.
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We should also note that Eric Puma made his debut for Shore Athletic Club in the men's 10-kilometer race for ages 40 and over. Even though we had no 50+ team, Eric still insisted on racing. He survived the late morning heat well, clocking in with a very credible 46:26. Welcome, Eric!
Individual Accomplishments
In this section, we pay tribute to the outstanding Shore AC athletes who distinguish themselves in age groups and age grading. Unfortunately, the timing company had not yet posted age gradings at the time this article was written. You will see "xx.xx%" below as placeholders until age gradings are posted.
Roar with a passion for these Shore AC runners who finished on the podium for their race at this USATF National event!
Pounce like panthers now for these Shore AC cats who earned top-3 distinction in their 5-year age groups!
Masters women's 6K race:
Rub your bellies for these Shore AC hunters who earned top 10 distinction in their respective 5-year age groups.
Masters women's 6K race:
In this section, we pay tribute to the outstanding Shore AC athletes who distinguish themselves in age groups and age grading. Unfortunately, the timing company had not yet posted age gradings at the time this article was written. You will see "xx.xx%" below as placeholders until age gradings are posted.
Roar with a passion for these Shore AC runners who finished on the podium for their race at this USATF National event!
- Mark Zamek 2nd M60+ race 29:52 xx.xx%
Pounce like panthers now for these Shore AC cats who earned top-3 distinction in their 5-year age groups!
Masters women's 6K race:
- Suzanne La Burt 1st F60-64 25:19 xx.xx% <=== #3 age grading among masters women
- Nora Cary 1st F65-69 26:29 xx.xx% <=== #2 age grading among masters women
- Mark Zamek 2nd M60-64 29:52 xx.xx%
Rub your bellies for these Shore AC hunters who earned top 10 distinction in their respective 5-year age groups.
Masters women's 6K race:
- Kitty Musante 5th F65-69 30:26 xx.xx%
- Susan Stirrat 8th F65-69 32:31 xx.xx%
- Rick Lee 6th M60-64 30:42 xx.xx%
- Henry Notaro 10th M60-64 31:30 xx.xx%
The Shore AC Peanut Gallery gives our runners moral support. Left to right: Coach Joe Compagni, Chris Rinaldi and Scott Linnell. Photographs by Clarina Azarcon.
December 8, 2023, Tallahassee, Florida: Spirits were flying high at the Shore AC team dinner the night before the race. Left to right: Hal Leddy, Reno Stirrat, Jim Musante, Alysia Puma, Eric Puma, Kitty Musante, Miles Hersey and Scott Linnell.
